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FTC secures fair pricing protections by taking action against major wholesale t-shirt distributors. FTC action signals continued Robinson-Patman Act enforcement to protect consumers, small businesses October 8, 2026 The Federal Trade Commission secured changes to a partnership agreement between T-shirt manufacturer Gildan Activewear SRL and major wholesale T-shirt distributor S&S Holdings LLC that will protect small businesses and consumers from unfair and discriminatory pricing practices. This resolution also furthers the FTC's efforts to enforce the Robinson-Patman Act (RPA) in cases where price discrimination harms consumers. The FTC opened an investigation into Gildan and S&S after becoming aware that S&S's contract with Gildan prohibited Gildan from offering certain pricing and discounts given to S&S to S&S's competitors. The FTC investigated Gildan for potential violations of Section 2(a) of the RPA, which prohibits sellers from engaging in certain price discrimination. The FTC also investigated whether S&S violated Section 2(f) of the RPA, which prohibits knowingly inducing or receiving prohibited price discrimination. In response to the FTC's investigation, Gildan and S&S modified their agreement, which now provides: "Nothing in this Agreement restricts or restrains Gildan's discretion to set prices or offer partnership support to any other North American wholesale distributor." Given the changes Gildan and S&S have implemented, the FTC has now closed its investigation. The FTC posted a public letter from Gildan confirming that Gildan and S&S have amended the relevant contract. "Congress has prohibited unfair and discriminatory pricing practices that favor big businesses and box out small businesses, which are the engine of the American economy," said FTC Bureau of Competition Director Daniel Guarnera. "We will not hesitate to enforce the law when a large, powerful firm insulates itself from competition by forcing sellers to give worse prices to the firm's competitors. Such pricing policies are bad for consumers and distort competition by making it harder for small firms to compete on the merits of their products and services. We will not tolerate conduct that unfairly alters competition." This matter builds on the RPA settlement entered last week with Southern Glazer's Wine and Spirits, the largest U.S. distributor of wine and spirits. The Southern Glazer's settlement was the first RPA case resolved by a federal enforcement agency in over 20 years. Under the RPA, it is generally illegal for sellers to engage in price discrimination that harms competition by charging higher prices to disfavored retailers that purchase similar goods. RPA enforcement seeks to ensure that businesses of all sizes compete on a level playing field with equivalent access to discounts and rebates. Robust competition between businesses of all sizes is beneficial to consumers as it offers shoppers more choice and the ability to access lower prices across all retailers, regardless of their size.

Gildan Activewear dividend stock analysis: yield, dividend growth, and ETF exposure. By Joel Kornblau, Editor, Dividend Channel, Thursday, October 1, 2026, 11:23 AM ET Gildan Activewear Inc (GIL) has been included on the Dividend Channel "International S.A.F.E. 10" list, highlighting the company as an international dividend stock with a combination of current income, dividend consistency, and a multi-year record of payout growth. According to the latest DividendRank report, the stock offers a 2.3% dividend yield and has delivered at least five years of dividend increases. For income-oriented equity analysis, the key issue is not simply whether a stock pays a dividend, but whether that dividend appears durable and capable of expanding over time. In Gildan Activewear's case, the company's ranking reflects three core attributes that typically matter most in dividend evaluation: yield, consistency, and growth. Why Gildan Activewear ranked on the International S.A.F.E. 10 list. Gildan Activewear Inc (GIL) qualified for the "Dividend Channel International S.A.F.E. 10" list based on the framework behind the acronym: * S - Solid return: a meaningful dividend yield supported by strong DividendRank characteristics. * A - Accelerating amount: a pattern of dividend increases over time rather than a static payout. * F - Flawless five-year history: no missed or reduced dividend over the prior five years. * E - Enduring: at least a half-decade of regular dividend payments. That combination tends to distinguish companies whose dividends may be supported by an established operating base rather than by an unusually high payout alone. In practice, stocks with moderate yields and a history of annual dividend growth can be especially relevant when evaluating total-return potential, since a growing dividend may signal management confidence in cash generation and capital allocation discipline. GIL dividend yield and payout profile. The annualized dividend paid by Gildan Activewear Inc is $0.996 per share, distributed in quarterly installments. The most recent dividend ex-date was 08/20/2026. At the cited payout level, the stock's 2.3% dividend yield places it in the category of moderate-yield equities rather than high-yield names, which can be relevant when comparing income stocks across sectors and geographies. A moderate yield paired with dividend growth can be more informative than headline yield alone. Very high yields sometimes reflect elevated market skepticism about earnings durability, balance-sheet stress, or cyclicality. By contrast, a lower but steadily rising dividend can indicate a payout policy built around recurring free cash flow and longer-term earnings power. Dividend history matters more than a single yield snapshot. Dividend history remains one of the most useful starting points in dividend stock analysis. A long record of uninterrupted payments and periodic increases does not guarantee future growth, but it can help identify companies that have maintained payout discipline across changing market conditions. For Gildan Activewear, the long-term dividend history chart below provides a visual record of how the payout has evolved over time: ETF exposure: where GIL appears in dividend-focused portfolios. According to the ETF Finder at ETF Channel, Gildan Activewear Inc is an underlying holding representing 0.91% of the Powershares International Dividend Achievers ETF (PID), which holds $7,763,217 worth of GIL shares. ETF ownership can be relevant for two reasons. First, inclusion in a dividend-oriented fund suggests the company meets at least some rules-based income or quality screens. Second, ETF ownership can create a more stable base of institutional demand, although the effect depends on fund size, turnover, and index methodology. A sub-1% portfolio weight, as in this case, indicates GIL is a constituent rather than a dominant driver of fund performance. How to think about Gildan Activewear as a dividend stock. For dividend investors, Gildan Activewear presents a profile centered on balance rather than maximum current income. The main points are straightforward: * A 2.3% yield provides current income, though it is not unusually high. * A record of dividend growth adds an element of compounding over time. * Inclusion on a dividend-focused ranking and in a dividend ETF supports its visibility within income-oriented screens. * The dividend history is likely to matter more than any single quarterly declaration when assessing long-term appeal. That makes the stock most relevant in the context of dividend growth investing rather than pure yield capture. The core question is whether the company can continue converting operating performance into sustainable cash returns to shareholders. Sector context. GIL operates in the Textiles & Apparel sector, alongside companies such as Nike (NKE) and Tapestry Inc (TPR). Within consumer apparel, dividend characteristics can differ significantly based on brand strength, manufacturing scale, input-cost volatility, and exposure to discretionary spending cycles. As a result, dividend consistency in this sector is often best assessed in conjunction with operating resilience and margin stability over time. Looking for more ideas like this? Open Decades of Increasing Payments: 25 S.A.F.E. Dividend Stocks to compare dividend stocks by yield, value, ranking, or sector context.